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Combining Seismic Noise Techniques for Landslide Characterization

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Abstract

A strong topographic relief and the presence of weakly consolidated sediments create favorable conditions for the development of landslides around the eastern rim of the Fergana Basin (Central Asia). In summer 2012, a field experiment employing small aperture seismic arrays was carried out on an unstable slope, using ambient vibration recordings. The aim of the study was to constrain the seismic response of a potential future landslide and to map lateral and vertical changes in the shear-wave velocity of the surficial soil layers. Strong variations of horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios in terms of amplitude and directionality indicated clear differences in local site effects, probably reflecting the stability of different sections of the slope. Results further showed resonant frequencies of both the entire unstable block, as well as for smaller, individual parts. The use of an ad hoc, passive seismic tomography approach based on noise correlograms allowed for the mapping of the shear-wave velocities of the sliding material, even in cases of significant topography relief. Based on the recording of seismic noise only, we clearly identified a low-velocity body of weakly consolidated claystone and limestone material, which can be interpreted as the landslide body, with laterally varying thickness.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the editor, Fabio Romanelli, and two anonymous reviewers for providing helpful comments that allowed us to significantly improve the manuscript. This research has been carried out under the projects MIIC—Monitoring and Imaging by Interferometric Concepts (Project 03G0736B) and TIPTIMON—Tien Shan-Pamir Monitoring Program (Project 03G0809), funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We are grateful to the people of Papan for their kind support and assistance during the field work. K. Fleming kindly revised our English.

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  1. Helmholtz Center Potsdam, GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Helmholtzstr. 7, 14467, Potsdam, Germany

    Marco Pilz, Stefano Parolai, Dino Bindi & Annamaria Saponaro

  2. Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences, Timur Frunze Street 73/2, 720027, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    Ulan Abdybachaev

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Pilz, M., Parolai, S., Bindi, D. et al. Combining Seismic Noise Techniques for Landslide Characterization. Pure Appl. Geophys. 171, 1729–1745 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-013-0733-3

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